turner



T. G. TURNER. LEAD ARMORED GdNDUOTORS ANDPROGESS OF MAKING THE SAME.

No. 869,372. Patented Sept. 6, 1887.

(No Model 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T". G. TURNER. LEAD ARMORED GONDUCTORS AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME.No. 869,372. Patented Sept. 6, 1887.

WITNESSES 1 1.7V VEJV' TOR, W z a flay M II M I r W V Attorney In.PETERS. PhokrLilMgrapher, Wnhinglnn. o c.

UNITED STATES THOMAS e. TURNER,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LEAD-ARMORED CONDUCTOR AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,372, datedSeptember 6, 1887.

Application filed April 12, 1884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS G. TURNER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of NewYork and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Lead-Armored Conductors and Process of Making the Same;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart'to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to lead-armored cables and to the art of andapparatus for making the same.

'Heretofore various methods have been employed for embedding orinclosing insulated conductors in a solid body of lead, among which maybe mentioned, first, passing an insulated conductor or conductorsthrough a guide in a lead-press, where molten metal is forced intocontact with said conductor in a suitable die and forms a seamlessarmor; or, second, laying such conductors within or be tween asheet orsheets of lead and uniting the opposing surfaces of said sheets in thespaces between the conductors by pressure. In the method first mentionedit has been found that the contact of the molten metal with theinsulation of the conductor generates gases, which, escaping through thebody of the armor, leaves minute air-holes or blowholes, through whichmoisture penetrates to the insulated covering of the conductor, thusdestroying it and bringing the conductor in metallic contact with thearmor; and in the last-named method the greatpressure required to unitethe meeting faces of the armor causes the injury or destruction of theinsulating material.

The object of my invention is to avoid the objections herein referred toand to so construct the cable that the positions of the respectiveconductors with relation to each other will not be disturbed during theprocess of manufacture.

The invention will be fully described in the ensuing specification, andthe novel features claimed in the clauses at the close thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates an ordinary insulatedconductor. Figs. 2 and 3 represent conductors composed of aspirallyarranged group of bare wires in- Scrial No. 127,667. (No model.)

closed in an insulatingsheath. Figs. 4,6, and 8 represent in perspectivethree forms of the rolled ribbons of lead bent up to inclose theinsulated conductors within the longitudinal channels. Figs. 5, 7, and 9represent in perspective sections of the finished cable. Fig. 10 is avertical section of one formof device for uniting the meeting faces ofthe lead ribbon. Fig. 11 is a vertical section of a modified form ofsuch device.

Any usual form of insulated conductor, A, may be used, though I preferthat they be composed of two or more small wires, a, twisted upon eachother and in electrical contact, the whole being then covered by anysuitable insulating material, 13, such as cotton thread, to protect theconductors from contact with thelead armor O. The conductor formed of aspirally-arranged group of wires inclosed in a singleinsulating-covering is intended to be used as the single wire. Thespiral twisting of the wires within the solid armor will admit of thechanges of length (due to changes of temperature to which they must besubjected in use and during the process of manufacture of the leadcable) without destroying the conductor by parting or breaking, as isoften found to be the case where a solid wire is used as a conductor;also, the irregular spaces a between the various wires so spirallytwisted upon each other will permit of the free escape of all gasesgenerated by the heated lead armor coming in contact with the insulationof the conductors.

One very serious trouble encountered in the making of the class of leadcables to which my invention relates is the destruction of theinsulation of the conductors Aby coming in contact with the heated leadof which the armor is formed. In my improved process I form the leadarmor O by means of rolls, (not shown,) which may be associated with orform part of the mechanism illustrated, into a tape or rib- 5 sectionalcontour, and when folded about the conductors is passed to feed-rollers1, thence to a vertical die or mold, 2. The lower end of this die ormold is immersed in a cooling-bath, 5, and against the reduced portion 3of the ICC walls of the die or mold, above the bath, heat is projectedsufficient to melt or fuse the lead armor C as it passes down throughthe die. The lead as fused will mold itself solidly around theconductors, and as it passes on downward will be rapidly cooled in thelower end of the die 2, which is immersed in the bath. All gases and airforced off by the heated lead will find free exit upward through thespaces between the individual wires of the .conductors and between theconductors and the adjacent surfaces of the ribbon or armor into theopen air; also, the conductors will be maintained in their true positionwith relation to each other within the armor, the folded lead above andthe finished cable below acting as constant guides to hold them inposition.

I have seen samples of molded cables in which the protecting armorvaried in a few inches of the length from the thickness of this paper tooneeighth of an inch. In such a cable the insulation would be soondestroyed in the earth and cable rendered useless; also by this processthere need be no excessive heating of the insulation of the conductors,just enough heat being projected against the walls of the die to fusethe lead. To facilitate this I cut away the outer wall of the die at thepoint 3, upon which the heat is projected, so that the heat will be moreeasily communicated to a small section of the cable as it passes downwithin the die to the cooling-bath. I also provide a variable feed (notshown) for the feeding-rolls. Surrounding the die, at or just above thepoint where it is cut away, is a cup, 4, to be filled with lead orsolder. This cup receives su'fficient heat from the nozzles 6 to keepthe lead or solder contained within it in a molten state, and serves asa shield to the die to prevent too great heating. Sufficient heat willreadily pass through the walls of the die to fuse the cable, and themolten metal in the cup will act as an indicator, as it will chill aboutthe die if the feed of the cable into the die be too rapid, theattendant soon learning to adjust the feed to a nicety. Furthermore, itbeing advisable to subject the cable to as little heating as possible,the cup 4 can be so adjusted upon the die that its edges will rise abovethe mouth of the die, and if filled with a metal or solder which meltsat a lower temperature than the lead only just so much heat need beapplied as will melt the solder and cause it to flow into the seam ofthe cable and solder it, making a solid cable at a much lowertemperature than where the lead is fused; or small apertures 7 may lead.through the walls of the die from the interior of the cup. This will addto the cost of the cable to the extent of the cost of the solder, butwill insure the insulation on the wire not being disturbed by theexcessive heating.

While I prefer to use conductors composed of grouped wires, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3, it will be understood that the cable may be formed withthe ordinary single-wire conductors; and I do not wish to confine myselfto a die made of a single piece of metal, as I contemplate, in someinstances, forming the up per end of the die of metal and the lower endof some material which will resist heat, so that said lower end may bekept at alow temperature to more readily and rapidly set the loan;

The lead ribbon or ribbons should be fed to the die at a greater speedthan the conductors, forreasonswhich willbeapparent. Theselead ribbonsmay have a film of solder rolled upon their inner faces, so that saidfaces may be united in the die by the application of a lesser degree ofheat than would be required to fuse the ribbon.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The improvement in the art of making leadarmored cables, whichconsists in seating two or more insulated conductors in longitudinalchannels formed in a ribbon or ribbons of lead and uniting the meetingfaces of the ribbon by heat during its passage through a die having thedesired cross-sectional contour, substantially as specified.

2. The improvement in the art of making lead-armored cables, whichconsists in seating two or more insulated conductors in longitudinalchannels formed in a ribbon or ribbons of lead and fusing and coolingthe lead ribbon during its passage through a die having the desiredcross-sectional contour, substantially as specified.

3. The improvement in the art of making lead-armored cables, whichconsists in seating two or more insulated conductors in longitudinalchannels formed in a ribbon or ribbons of lead having a facing of solderso as to permit of the welding of themeeting edges by the application ofa lower heat than that needed to fuse the lead.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS G. TURNER.

W'itnesses:

BENJ'. T. Itnoans, Jr., J. H. GnnsLnY.

